Power utilities, with the approval from the government, have booked 800-megawatt (Mw) of power for April 2011, to meet the unprecedented demand in Andhra Pradesh, according to state government officials. During a review meeting here on Sunday, the officials informed chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy that the utilities had booked 1,000Mw of power for this month, and that there was a shortfall of 675Mw or 16 million units (MU) per day at present due to several reasons in the power generating stations of the state.

"Due to advanced planning, the state could book the transmission corridor so that AP power utilities were able to avail 1,000Mw from outside the Grid. By availing power at Rs 5 per unit as against the prevailing market power tariff of Rs 10, the state saved around Rs 650 crore and more particularly to get the power during the crucial rabi season," they said.

According to the officials, the power utilities are currently supplying 257.2 MU per day as against 231 MU per day during the corresponding period last year and meeting a peak demand of 11,700Mw as against 10,500Mw last year, an increase of 11 per cent.

While reviewing the power generation and supply in the state, Reddy directed the APTransco and distribution companies (Discoms) to ensure seven hours supply to agriculture. "Priority should also be given to drinking water schemes, night supply continuously between 6 pm and 6 am in view of the examinations besides reliable supply to hospitals," he said in a press release.

Reddy reiterated his request to the Centre for immediate direction to GAIL for supply of 2.5 million metric standard cubic metres per day (MMSCMD) of re-gasified liquefied natural gas to independent power producers in the state to generate 500Mw of power needed for providing seven hours power to rabi, besides stabilising supply to domestic and industrial sector.